Best “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Quote

2024 marks the 35th Anniversary of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the third installment in Chevy Chase’s Lampoon films. While the film was initially met with mixed reviews when it was released in December 1989, it has gone on to be considered a holiday classic, delighting audiences from multiple generations. A big part of the appeal is the laugh-a-minute script by 80s cinema icon John Hughes, who managed to wring biting sarcasm and genuine emotion out of the Griswold family’s Christmas from hell. So join the Great Pop Culture Debate players as they refill their eggnog, take an imaginary dip in an inground pool, and bring out the rubber sheets and gerbils while reenacting the debating the Best Quote from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Join host Eric Rezsnyak and GPCD panelists Karissa Kloss, Michael Schwarz, and Zack Derby as they check their shitters, and then debate 16 of the most iconic quotes from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Play along at home by finding the listener bracket here. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!

For more exclusive content, including warm-up in which we discuss the quotes the panelists think SHOULD have made the bracket, become a Patreon supporter of the podcast today.


Round 1 Match-Ups:

Not a Patreon subscriber? Here’s a primer on how we came up with the bracket.

Match-Up 1:

Shitter was full.
— Cousin Eddie

VS.

WORSE? How could things get any worse? Take a look around here, Ellen. We’re at the threshold of hell.
— Clark

Match-Up 2:

You set standards that no family activity can live up to.
— Ellen

VS.

Talk about pissing your money away. I hope you kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.
— Grandma Frances

Match-Up 3:

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah.
— Clark

VS.

Bend over and I’ll show you.
— Clark

Match-Up 4:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
— Aunt Bethany

VS.

What? What happened? Whoooph! I guess... it wouldn’t be any... woah, hehe... wouldn’t be the Christmas shopping season if the stores were any less hooter than they... HOTTER than they are! Wooo, it IS warm in here.
— Clark

Match-Up 5:

Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he’s gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.
— Clark

VS.

Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?
— Clark

Match-Up 6:

That somethin’ ain’t it? She falls down a well, her eyes go crossed. She gets kicked by a mule. They go back to normal. I don’t know.
— Cousin Eddie

VS.

She’ll see it later, hon. Her eyes are frozen.
— Ellen

Match-Up 7:

Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I’d like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people, and I want him brought right here! With a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye, and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where’s the Tylenol?
— Clark

VS.

And why is the carpet all wet, *Todd*?
— Margo

Match-Up 8:

Well, I don’t know what to say, except it’s Christmas and we’re all in misery.
— Ellen

VS.

Surprised, Eddie? If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.
— Clark

Want to play along at home?

Download the Listener Bracket and see if your picks match up with ours!

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Episode Credits

Host: Eric Rezsnyak

Panel: Karissa Kloss, Michael Schwarz, Zack Derby

Producer: Bob Erlenback

Editor: Bob Erlenback

Theme Music: “Dance to My Tune” by Marc Torch

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